SAN DIEGO — USC bid farewell to the Pac-12 Conference with a six-pack and an eggnog bath to toast an otherwise unremarkable season.
With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl record six touchdown passes in his first college start and USC ended a frustrating season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 on Wednesday night. Afterward, coach Lincoln Riley had a bowl of eggnog poured over his head.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who opted out of the game, watched the game from the sideline with his No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck. He ran onto the field and jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore kneeled twice in the victory formation at Petco Park.
While Williams and several other Trojans sat out, others came out to play, like redshirt senior receiver Tahi Washington, who caught two touchdown passes.
“From a leadership standpoint, we had a really strong senior group that wanted to come back and play this game and I think they were really leading it,” Moss said. “They set an example, and it was easy for me to fall in line behind them.”
When asked if Moss has earned the starting job for next year, receiver Kieron Hudson, who blocked a punt and then caught a touchdown pass shortly after, said: “What Miller did out there, it's something that will help us in the future, so personally ‘yeah, he did. that. I'm very excited for Miller. He's bided his time, and he's ready for it. He is the man we need.”
Moss took full advantage of the opportunity presented to him when Williams, the presumptive first overall pick in the NFL draft, opted out.
Moss was 23 of 33 for 372 yards, with one interception. He broke the Holiday Bowl record with four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU's miraculous 46-45 win against SMU in 1980. The record came late in the third quarter when Moss threw a 12-yard pass to a jumper . Jacoby Lane in the back of the end zone. Lynn's second TD catch of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.
Moss added a beautiful 44-yard strike to Dos Robinson for a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes left.
The six TD passes were also the most by a quarterback in his first start for USC (8-5), which has lost three straight games and five of six coming after opening the year with national championship aspirations. They also set a record for the Trojans and tied the Pac-12 bowl record.
The Trojans played their last Pac-12 football game. They join the Big Ten next season, along with fellow Pac-12 breakaways UCLA, Oregon and Washington.
“We could have gone into this game and not cared about it,” Riley said. “Honestly, through all the years and the wins and stuff, this was as fun a win as I can remember as a head coach. Just with all the changes, all the back and forth, six weeks, 20-plus players who didn't play in this game for various reasons…this is a good football team that we beat.” just yet.”
Isaac Girindo ran 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4). Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Plummer dislocated his right pinkie early in the second quarter and put it back in. He said it didn't affect his throwing.
Moss also threw scoring passes of 17 and 29 yards to Washington, who completed his first 1,000-yard receiving season. Hudson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass twice after blocking a Brady Hodges punt, which went out of bounds at the Cardinals 18.
“They had two matchups with speedy players at our safety, and that wasn't one of our better days,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “A lot of these players have played well all year, today was not their best day.”
Leading 28-14, the Trojans were driving early in the third quarter when Moss was intercepted at the goal line by Quincy Riley, who returned it 61 yards to the USC 39. Five plays later, Isaac Girindo scored on a 1-yard run to the punt The Cardinals are within landing.
Guerendo scored on a 2-yard run on Louisville's first possession of the game.
After Dennis Lynch was off target on a 38-yard field goal attempt, the Trojans got the ball right back when Max Williams sacked Plummer, with Solomon Byrd recovering at the Louisville 19. Moss threw a short pass to Washington, who scored two defenders before diving into the zone. End to tie the game.
USC jumped out to a 21-7 lead on Moss' second Washington scoring layup and then Hudson's score. Evan Conley scored on a 9-yard run for Louisville before USC went 75 yards in five plays just before halftime, with Moss dribbling a defender, rolling right and throwing 31 yards to Lynn for a 28-14 lead.
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